Red Stripe
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Red Stripe
Origin / History
Origin unknown according to Downing. It came from Indiana, and Budd and Hansen give the origin as "probably Indiana." Warder calls Red Stripe a handsome and productive early apple, extensively propagated in parts of Indiana under the names Early Red Margaret (which he marks incorrect) and Rockhill's Summer Queen. It was introduced at Fort Wayne by Mr. Rockhill, who is reported to have "made more money from the trees of this variety than from twice as many of any other early apple." Warder recommends it for general cultivation in Indiana.
Tree
Hardy in nursery and orchard; productive. Shoots very downy (Warder).
Fruit
Size: Medium to small, or medium or below. Thomas alone calls it rather large.
Form: Long, oblong-conical. The ribbing runs from furrowed or ribbed (Warder) to almost or obscurely ribbed (Downing; Budd and Hansen). Lowther alone gives the form as oblate, against the oblong-conical form of the other sources.
Stem: Short (Downing) to medium (Warder), slender.
Cavity: Acute, regular, browned (Warder) or russeted (Budd and Hansen).
Calyx: Very small, closed.
Basin: Very shallow, plaited (Warder) or corrugated (Budd and Hansen).
Skin: Surface polished, whitish to pale yellow. It is mixed, considerably striped, splashed, and mottled with crimson, mostly covered according to Budd and Hansen. Handsome.
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white or whitish, fine-grained, tender, juicy. Flavor acid (Warder; "pleasant acid" in Budd and Hansen) or "pleasant subacid" and "mild, sub-acid" (Downing, Thomas). Quality "good" (Warder, Downing) to "very good" (Thomas, Lowther).
Core and seeds: Core large, long, oval, open, embracing or clasping the eye.
Season
A summer apple, July and August; late summer.
Uses
Table and kitchen; kitchen and market. Downing calls it a valuable fruit for market or cooking.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
View original book sources (5)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Red Stripe. EARLY RED MARGARET (incorrectly) — ROCKHILL'S SUMMER QUEEN (Indiana).
This handsome and productive early apple has been extensively propagated in parts of Indiana, under the names above presented. It was introduced at Fort Wayne by Mr. Rockhill, who is reported to have "made more money from the trees of this variety than from twice as many of any other early apple." Recommended for general cultivation in that State.
Tree hardy in nursery and orchard, productive; Shoots very downy.
Fruit medium to small, long, conical, furrowed or ribbed; Surface polished, pale yellow, mixed and splashed crimson.
Basin very shallow, plaited; Eye very small, closed. Cavity acute, regular, browned; Stem medium. Core long, oval, embracing the eye; Flesh whitish, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor acid; Quality good; Table or kitchen; Season, July and August.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Red Stripe.
English Red Stripe. Carolina Red Stripe. Rockhill's Summer Queen.
Origin unknown. Comes to us from Indiana. Tree hardy and productive. Valuable fruit for market or cooking.
Fruit medium, oblong conical, almost ribbed, whitish, considerably striped, splashed, and mottled with crimson. Stalk short and slender. Calyx closed. Flesh white, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid. Good. August. Core large and open.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Red Stripe. Rather large, oblong, conical, striped; mild, sub-acid, very good. Late summer. Ind.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Red Stripe. — Origin, probably Indiana; tree productive, shoots very downy.
Fruit medium or below, oblong conical, obscurely ribbed; surface polished, whitish yellow, mostly covered with striped, splashed, and mottled crimson; cavity acute, regular, russeted; stem short to medium, slender; basin very shallow, corrugated; calyx very small, closed. Core large, open, oval, clasping; flesh white, fine-grained, juicy, tender, pleasant acid, good. July and August.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Red Stripe: size medium; form oblate; color striped or splashed (red); quality very good; use both kitchen and market.